Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Trim a tree, cook and make crafts like a pro without blowing your top from stress!



Ready to put up and decorate that all important perfect Christmas tree. Here are a few tips to make it a smooth transition. A little prior planning prevents a poor performance.




1. Decide if you want an artificial tree or a real tree.

2. Once the decision is made, what color do you prefer.

3. Artificial trees must be assembled using the specific
diagrams in the box. Each set of pieces should be set
separately on the floor of the room where you the tree.

4. Be sure to use several old blankets or sheets spread on the floor to protect it and for easy cleanup.

5. If Dad is not handy with tools, find someone who can
help you with the cutting of the tree limbs and trunk
if needed on a live tree.

6. You can buy a tree stand with a bowl at the bottom to
replenish the water for the trunk end each day. If the
tree is large, be sure to buy a sturdy tree holder with
steady legs. Assemble all the tools you will need in
one area near the tree and extension cords, if needed.

7. Before buying your tree. Measure the height you want
it to be with a metal extended ruler, be sure to allow
5 or 6 inches more for the tree stand. Now measure the
circumference you want for the tree. IE-7 feet by 10
around it where end of branches will be. Take it w/you.

8. Be sure the tree will not be located near an open heat
source or obstruct an inside or outside doorway. It
should work with the normal traffic flow in your home.

9. You will need at least a 4 foot sturdy step ladder to
help you in setting in the artificial branches at the
top and middle of the tree if very tall. Always have
someone available to help you while on the ladder or
rig a tool belt to hold the branches as you work
around the tree inserting the branches and shaping
them.

10. The light strings are attached next from the back of
the tree near the electrical outlet and working from
the inside out and around the tree with each light
string.The decorations are attached in the same manner
from the back inside to outside around the tree. You
can mix the ornament colors, shapes and sizes as you
desire. If you are placing icicles on the tree, do
this after all decorations have been placed on the
tree. Place them on by hand from the outside in
at the spaces you desire. Use the ladder to place
the star or Santa or large ornament of your choice on
the tree. If you use Christmas tree picks. Use them
sparingly in strategic places. Do not overload a
small tree and do not under decorate a large tree.
If you use long wired ribbons on the length of you
tree, you can put the on before or after to attach
the icicles. I would not use over 4 wired ribbons on
a large tree, 2 front sides and 2 back sides. Maybe,
3 on a small tree.

11. Water you tree in the stand cup up to the amount
specified in the directions or at least 2 inches up
the trunk end. Check the water daily.

12. Fold up or roll up the sheet or light blanket under
the tree and cover with a purchased or homemade tree
skirt. Fold up the blanket or sheet over the tools
paper etc. leftover and carry out side to the garage
or porch. You can easily remove the tools and trash
which is no longer needed.

Place the tree box and
decoration boxes inside the tree box with the sheet
and keep until ready to remove tree. You can store
your items from the tree in their original cartons
or use plastic store bags or gallon baggies. Remove
the decorations in the reverse order they were
on the tree. Work from the outside into the tree.
Wrap the glass ornaments in old newspaper or plastic
bags with tissue papers.

13. Put the undecorated tree on the blanket, wrap and take
out to the trash dump or tree chipper where provided.

14. This method will take a great deal of stress out
the tree trimmings and disposal. If you can get a
few friendly "elves" to help you prepare a hearty
snack for them to enjoy while the work is being done.

If a live tree, trim the trunk and branches as needed outside your house. Install the tree stand while the tree is on its side. Make sure it is secure and capable of holding the tree, especially if a large one. You can spray the tree with a non-flammable extra-strength large pump size hair spray to fortify the needle and give a shine to the tree. Once it dries, check to be sure you like the look, if not, spray lightly with a water hose to remove. Let it dry completely before bringing into the home. Put the tree on a sheet, blanket, or painter drip cloth, fold over and bring the tree into the house stump first to avoid breaking branches.

Tips: If you run out of ornament hangars, use reworked paper clips, if working with thin, glass ornaments, you might want to put and extra blanket around the tree in the event of them falling and possibly breaking. Make sure everyone helping you has shoes on their feet. Clean up any broken glass shards immediately.

Children can help make ornaments by taking different colored tissue paper, cutting into 1`-4" width, 4 inch length strips. Fold over into 1" strips and place a bobby pin in the center. Fan out the strip layers to make flowers and clip to tree. They can use different color Kleenex tissues. Always place this ornaments away from the tree lights. It takes a little work to learn how to make the flowers and practice makes perfect.

You can make a wreath for the front door by taking a sturdy coat hanger, undo the top where curve is bend out or hammer into a circle, leaving the hook attached. Re-attach to top of hook. Buy two or 3, 5 or 6 feet of different colored garland at the Dollar Store or Wal-Mart. Sort of plait or rollthem to together and string onto the circle hanger. Cover the top with and end piece and glue together. Add home-made ornaments or cut Christmas tree spikes, spray painted pine cones or glue pieces of pine cones onto the garland with super glue, hot glue gun, if an adult does it. You can bend coat hanger wires into tree shape with pliers and place inside the bigger wreath with a tie wrap or little loop of the floral wire. Wrap the tree wire with a green garland and glue on felt ornaments or tiny colored marbles with yellow felt star at the top. Use your wonderful brain and imagination. Please post any tips you may have for us!

You could place a small Santa or Angel at the bottom center. You could use other small stuffed animals, birds or reindeer as well. Spray with heavy hold gel hair spray to keep the water and sun damage to a minimum. You can take heavy felt. 1 yard-60" wide, makes many patterns.Cut out shapes. Place Elmer's glue on the front of the shape and sprinkle dazzles or sparkles on the glue. The glue will turn the color of the sparkles.

You can do the same with the parts of the pine cones. Just use the top part of little pine cones and put a dab of Elmer Glue on each leaf like part and sprinkle away. Super glue or hot glue to the garland. You can buy ribbon at the Dollar Store with or without the wire (Shop now, don't wait) and make a ribbon/bow over the hanger hook part.

Use a wreath hanger from Dollar Store to attach to the doors. The ideas are endless. You can do this with picture frames for gifts, clean and pretty rocks for paper weights. A piece of cleaned and dried drift wood with painted shells and a fisherman Santa in a little boat. A vase decorated with the colored glass and marbles at the Dollar Store or Arts and Crafts store. You can decorate window panes with a collage of the rocks or by the stain window packages.

I am making Christmas Carols Cd's for the grandkids teachers using my different colored Lightscribe CD's and adding a winter scene. The Lightscribe takes about 25 minutes to laser the label and you can add text and photos to most of them, if you like. It is the music I have bought. I can make DVD's the same way with old copyright expired movies downloaded from the internet from Hula or Bitorrent sites. Search the internet and be sure your Bit Torrent site is safe for your computer and network. Ask someone to help you decide if you are not familiar with how to check the security.

It looks exactly like a purchased DVD with room for " play, scenes and notes." You can put at least two old movies on one DVD and many photos of the family or friends, pets, scenes of which you took the photos. IE: Weddings, vacations, reunions, school activities. Lightscribe technology is on most new computer or you can buy a USB stand alone Lightscribe drive. Just be sure you have the right specs on your computer to accommodate the Lightscribe hardware and software. Ask before you buy.

Want to make quick Christmas cookies. Buy the rolled cookie dough from Pillsbury. Let it cool in refrigerator. Roll out on lightly floured surface (piece of tin foil works) to about 1/4 inch thick. Use floured cookie cutters. Paint with yolk egg wash with a little food coloring added. One egg yolk makes up to six different color combos. Use a clean little art paint brush, a cup of water to dip brush when changing colors, put on sprinkles, sugar, sparkles, place on tin foil lined baking sheet and cook according to directions.

My grand baby spent almost two hours painting and decorating and rolling out her master pieces last week. She worked on a sheet of tinfoil and paper towels; clean up was a breeze. My grandson was ready to get his hands in the cookies as soon as they came out of the oven. She did share her prizes with everyone. You can use M&M on the chocolate cookie dough when you slice them from the roll about 1/4 inch thick. Tiny marshmallows cut in half are worth a try. You can roll out the dough but has bumpy chunks in it. They might make animal shapes by hand if lightly worked into them with dash of flour on your fingers. You could use the M&Ms as buttons and eyes. PLEASE remember to use only eatable items for decorations on cookies and cakes, etc.

Happy Safe and Merry Holidays to everyone! We had a little snow in Atlanta area today and more is one the way. Brrrr-Savannah looks better and better every day.
Thanks for letting me share these ideas with you in the interest of saving time, money and in giving a priceless one of a kind gift to someone only you can make. My children and now my grandkids love make gifts and crafts for themselves and others. You can email this to yourself or print out by highlighted selection.

Have fun! Enjoy and spread the mana on the water! GA Peach

1 comment:

Margaret said...

Hehehehe. Funny that I'm just now running into this post. Jon JUST finally removed our family room Christmas tree to outside this past Saturday!

I warned him, that if it wasn't out by this week he could find his socks, drawers, shirts and clothes strung up all over the dead old tree.

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